Ben Affleck Could Return to Dennis Lehane With ‘Live By Night’

It's been almost a decade since 'Gigli' nearly destroyed Ben Affleck's career, but in the time since Affleck went from leading man (of less than leading movies), to auteur as the writer/director behind 'Gone Baby Gone,' 'The Town' and this weekend's 'Argo.' And now he's already lining up his next gig.

Right now that's looking like an adaptation of Dennis Lehane's 'Live By Night,' in which Ben Affleck would write, direct and star - according to The Hollywood Reporter. The prohibition-era story is about the son of a cop who become a master criminal in with the mob. The book was published last week, but Warners has had the rights to the title since it was in the galleys.

Affleck already has a lot on his plate, as he's one of Warner Brothers go-to directors of late. He's also up for an adaptation of Stephen King's 'The Stand,' and has also been attached to a remake of 'Tell No One.' But this seems more likely as Affleck previously adapted Lehane's novel 'Gone Baby Gone,' which is the finest adaptation of Lehane to the big screen (and that's saying something when the competition are films by Clint Eastwood and Martin Scorsese). We expect this will move forward as long as 'Argo' does good business. And maybe even if it doesn't.